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Addition of Szetela Means More Crucial Depth for United
Playing in three competitions with restricted depth, D.C. United added a guy who can help alleviate the strain on the squad, says Goal.com's Steven Streff.
Jul 17, 2009 12:04:20 AM
By Steven Streff
D.C. United made one of the first big moves of the Major League Soccer transfer window by signing midfielder Danny Szetela, most recently of Racing Santandar in Spain. Szetela, who previously played in MLS with the Columbus Crew, moved to Racing in the summer of 2007, after an impressive showing at the FIFA U20 World Cup with the United States.
However, after spending some time on loan in Italy with Brescia, his contract was not renewed in Spain upon his return, opening up the opportunity to return Stateside. Through the allocation process put in place by MLS, United picked up the experienced midfielder, after FC Dallas passed up the opportunity to select him.
The move helps United cover for a recent injury, as rookie midfielder Brandon Barklage was ruled out for the rest of the season with an ACL injury that occurred during the quarterfinal match in the U.S. Open Cup against the Harrisburg Islanders.
As for Szetela's new teammates, they were excited about his arrival at the club.
"We welcome him," said team veteran Ben Olsen. "And its going to be a thing where is certainly going to get time, and he is going to have a great opportunity to press and put a stamp on this team."
The big question for United is: Can Szetela immediately contribute? United begin a treacherous portion of its schedule starting this Saturday against the Colorado Rapids. Starting that day, United will play six games in 18 days, including matches in MLS, the Open Cup, and the preliminary stage of the CONCACAF Champions League.
Playing an average of one game every three days will inevitably put a strain on the team to stay fit and keep a full complement of players to choose from. United will have to work quickly to get Szetela match fit, as he has not trained lately and also saw his appearances with Brescia dwindle in the latter part of the European season. A fit Szetela will help lessen the load on the other players during a pivotal part of its season, and if the coaching staff succeeds in getting him prepared quickly, the benefits could be seen immediately.
By adding Szetela to the squad, D.C. has a guy who it believes is versatile enough to step into several positions on the field.
"He can play a number of spots," stated United general manager Dave Kasper. "He can play in the middle of the field and out wide."
The versatility of Szetela, who scored three goals in the U20 World Cup in 2007, means that head coach Tom Soehn will be able to rotate him throughout the midfield, as needed. If necessary, he can cover on the wings, in his natural central midfield position, or he could play the creative role behind the strikers. The 22-year-old has the ability to be able to push for a starting role in any of these spots, once he is match fit.
In Szetela, United has a player who brings two mental assets to the table.
One, he has the experience of having played professionally for six seasons, including two years abroad. He might not have played consistently during that time, but he will have learned the ins and outs of how a team operates. Adding a guy with some experience, especially experience in tougher leagues than MLS, is never a bad thing, especially towards the latter part of the season.
Seemingly oxymoronically, another asset Szetela brings is his youth. Having just turned 22, he can provide the energy that can lend to a morale boost at the club, especially during a time of some struggle for United, with just one win in its last four games. Alongside rookies Chris Pontius and Rodney Wallace, Soehn might just have the right combination of youth to counter the experience and age of his more veteran players, such as Christian Gomez, Jamie Moreno, and Olsen. Soehn pinpointed Szetela's personal experience as why the young midfielder just might be successful with United.
"He's got a big upside. He has changed from when he came out of Bradenton. He has grown up a lot, and I think Italy has helped that," stated Soehn. "He has matured a lot, and I think he is someone that we can rely on to get through some of these tough stretches."
Steven Streff is the D.C. correspondent for Goal.com
For more on Major League Soccer, visit Goal.com's MLS page
D.C. United made one of the first big moves of the Major League Soccer transfer window by signing midfielder Danny Szetela, most recently of Racing Santandar in Spain. Szetela, who previously played in MLS with the Columbus Crew, moved to Racing in the summer of 2007, after an impressive showing at the FIFA U20 World Cup with the United States.
However, after spending some time on loan in Italy with Brescia, his contract was not renewed in Spain upon his return, opening up the opportunity to return Stateside. Through the allocation process put in place by MLS, United picked up the experienced midfielder, after FC Dallas passed up the opportunity to select him.
The move helps United cover for a recent injury, as rookie midfielder Brandon Barklage was ruled out for the rest of the season with an ACL injury that occurred during the quarterfinal match in the U.S. Open Cup against the Harrisburg Islanders.
As for Szetela's new teammates, they were excited about his arrival at the club.
"We welcome him," said team veteran Ben Olsen. "And its going to be a thing where is certainly going to get time, and he is going to have a great opportunity to press and put a stamp on this team."
The big question for United is: Can Szetela immediately contribute? United begin a treacherous portion of its schedule starting this Saturday against the Colorado Rapids. Starting that day, United will play six games in 18 days, including matches in MLS, the Open Cup, and the preliminary stage of the CONCACAF Champions League.
Playing an average of one game every three days will inevitably put a strain on the team to stay fit and keep a full complement of players to choose from. United will have to work quickly to get Szetela match fit, as he has not trained lately and also saw his appearances with Brescia dwindle in the latter part of the European season. A fit Szetela will help lessen the load on the other players during a pivotal part of its season, and if the coaching staff succeeds in getting him prepared quickly, the benefits could be seen immediately.
By adding Szetela to the squad, D.C. has a guy who it believes is versatile enough to step into several positions on the field.
"He can play a number of spots," stated United general manager Dave Kasper. "He can play in the middle of the field and out wide."
The versatility of Szetela, who scored three goals in the U20 World Cup in 2007, means that head coach Tom Soehn will be able to rotate him throughout the midfield, as needed. If necessary, he can cover on the wings, in his natural central midfield position, or he could play the creative role behind the strikers. The 22-year-old has the ability to be able to push for a starting role in any of these spots, once he is match fit.
In Szetela, United has a player who brings two mental assets to the table.
One, he has the experience of having played professionally for six seasons, including two years abroad. He might not have played consistently during that time, but he will have learned the ins and outs of how a team operates. Adding a guy with some experience, especially experience in tougher leagues than MLS, is never a bad thing, especially towards the latter part of the season.
Seemingly oxymoronically, another asset Szetela brings is his youth. Having just turned 22, he can provide the energy that can lend to a morale boost at the club, especially during a time of some struggle for United, with just one win in its last four games. Alongside rookies Chris Pontius and Rodney Wallace, Soehn might just have the right combination of youth to counter the experience and age of his more veteran players, such as Christian Gomez, Jamie Moreno, and Olsen. Soehn pinpointed Szetela's personal experience as why the young midfielder just might be successful with United.
"He's got a big upside. He has changed from when he came out of Bradenton. He has grown up a lot, and I think Italy has helped that," stated Soehn. "He has matured a lot, and I think he is someone that we can rely on to get through some of these tough stretches."
Steven Streff is the D.C. correspondent for Goal.com
For more on Major League Soccer, visit Goal.com's MLS page
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